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Mastema Cell
The Mastema Cell was a former cell of the pro-human terrorist organization known as Cerberus. As with most Cerberus cells the Mastema Cell was effectively autonomous from the rest of the organization, neither knowing about the personnel and activities of the other cells. The Cell was headed by Padme Singh, an ambitious former Systems alliance Captain, who in turn answered only to the Illusive Man. typical of most Cerberus cells the Mastema Cell deployed operatives on numerous operations to serve Cerberus' agenda. However the Mastema Cell also partook in research regarding the training of Cerberus operatives, finding new ways to make turn Cerberus personnel into deadlier, more competent and more loyal agents. The most notable of these special projects was the infamous Accelerated Education Initiative, aka Project Idolator. Shortly before the onset of the Reaper War Singh took the cell and defected from Cerberus partly due to concerns about the direction Cerberus was heading, but primarily as a result of Singh's own ambitions. The Illusive Man vowed to have the cell hunted down, but with the Reapr invasion and numerous important operations immenent the Illusive Man felt it would be detrimental to Cerberus to spare the needed resources to deal with the renegade cell, and thus elected to deal with the traitors at a later date. The Illusive man would not survive to see this through, and following the devastation of Cerberus in the wake of the Reaper War the organization never got around to dealing with the traitors. The Mastema Cell would later becoming the Foundation of a new terrorist organization known as Aegis. Activities As with any other Cerberus cell the Mastema Cell took part in a number of clandestine operations and activities in order to support Cerberus' pro-human objectives. These activities took a number of forms. Espionage, assassination, the recovery of valuable assets and sabotage were all used by the Mastema Cell to great effect in furthering the Illusive Man's goals. The Cell was particularly well suited for these activities due to its many unique training programs, producing an abundance of highly efficient soldiers and covert agents for use in the Cell's operations. It was these special projects that would define the Mastema Cell from its fellow Cerberus compatriots. One of the primary objectives given to the Mastema Cell was to develope new, superior ways in which to rear highly trained soldiers and operatives. In essence the Cell's mandate was to make better soldiers. However unlike other Cerberus programs the Cell's means of doing so did not lie within artificial enhancements, but rather in figuring out knew ways to take untrained civilians or soldiers of average profiency, and quickly making them elite, though not necessarily enhanced soldiers and agents. According to accounts given by former Mastema Cell agent Roman Moons the Mastema Cell dabbled in many means of making superior personnel. The Cell was known to try experimental brainwashing and behavior adjustment methods to make unquestionly loyal agents and soldiers. It would also create special experimental training programs with the hopes of quickly producing elite combat and espionage assets, and according to report the cell maintained a number of specially created training grounds meant to mold trainees through exposure to exotic conditions. However the cell's most advanced and radical attempt at making the perfect soldier would undoubtedly be Project Idolator. The cell was also unique in that it had considerable traffic between it and other Cerberus elements. New recruits would sometimes be sent to the Mastema Cell in order to undergo special training, and then would be transfered out to a different cell according to the organization's needs. Other times elements of other cells would be sent to the Mastema Cell in order to take part in some experimental program, either staying with the Mastema Cell after their part was done, or being sent back to their former cell. Singh and the Illusive Man were aware that this exception to the normally highly compartmentalized organization of Cerberus made the Mastema Cell uniquely vulnerable. As such several precautions were taken in order to protect the secrecy of the cell, particularly with migrant elements such as those listed above. it is implied that at times memory modification and other measures were taken to insure that the Mastema Cell would not be compromised if members of other cells that had dealings with them fell into enemy hands. Project Idolator The most notable program of the Mastema Cell was Prject Idolator, officially called the Accelerated Education Initiative. The goal of Project Idolator was to be able to boost a subjects ability to learn and assimilate new skills. The exact methods by which they attempted to do this are unknown as Singh kept the processes and lab work under lock and key. Furthermore none of the subjects that took part in Project Idolator remnember what occured while they were participating in the program. This was supposedly a side effect of the procedures, though Moons and a few other believe theat their memories of the events were purposefully erased. What is known is that forms of hypno-therepy and experimental drugs were used. The procedures were combined with an extensive training and education program. The goal was that the subjects would be able to master the skills and knowledge being taught to them at a far accelarated rate than normal, and that individuals would be able to master skills that they would normally not be proficient in. In this regard Project Idolator was a smashing success. Skills and abilities that normally took weeks or even mnths to become proficient in were completely mastered in a matter of days. Furthermore the project had an unexpected side effect of increasing the strategic acumen and creativity of the subjects. This caused a number of subjects to gain the skills of elite operatives in a very short time. However there was a very serious drawback. The procedures used during Project Isdolator seemed to have a considerably negative impact on the mental health of the subjects. Intense mental health problems ran rampant through the test subjects. Symtoms such as vivid hallucinations, onset of sociopathic behavior, severe clinical depression, psychotic breaks and other phychological maladies that Moons described as "PTSD on steroids" quickly rendered numerous subjects too unstable to be of any further use to the Cerberus cause. In the end over 90% of the subjects were permanently decommisioned as a result of severe psychosis. Clearly with results such as these Project Idolator could not be considered to viable option for training at the time, and the project was shut down. the data collected by the Project was sent to several Cerberus scientists with the hopes that the process could be refined, and perhaps perfected. However Cerberus would never end up getting the chance. A few of the subjects were considered stable, showing no outward symptoms of mental issues. These subjects proved to be everything the program hoped them to be. Referred to as Idolator Agents, and placed in Singh's care, they would quickly become amongst the most elite assets at Cerberus' disposal and certainly at Singh's. Each Idolator agent was given a codename based on Predators of Earth. They were then placed into two man teams for operations. Idolator agents were given advanced equipment and gear for the purposes of their missions, and they were often deployed for espionage, assassination among a number of other operations. At time Idolator pairs were placed in charge of other Cerberus assets. Either way the agents quickly gained reputations as the best of the best. However this would not last long. As it had turned out even these agents were haunted by the side-effects of the project. Where their less fortunate contemporaries had suffered from sudden and catastrophic mental breakdowns, those that had been stable by the end of the experiment began manifesting symptoms more slowly. The signs were subtle, but over time the behavior of several Idolator agents gradually became more erratic. The issues came into full view when agent Scorpion, who had largely been considered the most skilled Idolator agent, went on a murderous rampage and killed his partner Bobcat as well as the team of Cerberus personnel they were leading. This would be the first in a number of major incidents involving. It was clear that what was left of Project Idolator was on its way towards breaking down. The Illusive man ordered Singh to have a plan for the disposal of any Idolator agent that showed signs of mental breakdown, a tall order given that the Idolators were the most elite soldiers and operatives within the cell. Several agents would end up being neutralized as a result, and many more would end up going renegade for one reason or another. However not all suffered such fates. Singh managed to take a handful of Idolators with her when she and the Mastema Cell defected. History There are no accuarate records regarding when the cell was officially formed, and began its activities. What is known is that The cell was built around Padme Singh. Singh was formerly Captain in the Systems Alliance Marines. Even during basic Singh had been singled out as exceptional, and became enrolled in Interplanetary Combatives Training, eventually gaining N7 status. She had an eventfull career, and eventually ended up as an instructor at the Villa, taking part in raising the next generation of elite officers and soldiers. However Singh would become disatisfied with her lot. Having lost her father in the First Contact War, Singh still harbored deep prejudices against aliens, Turians in particular. Furthermore Singh was eager to gain more authority and political position, believing that if she had enough resources and the authority to use them as she saw fit, that she would have been able to far better protect the Systems Alliance and humanity in general. However while Singh had attained respect through her illustrious military career, her radical ideas as well as her tendancy to play by her own rules cause Alliance high command to be wary of granting her more power. However the Illusive Man was an entirely different story. From his perspective Singh's fantastic military record, definitively pro-human philosophies and political savvy made her a stellar candidate for recruitment into Cerberus, then as still relatively new organization. The Illusive Man contacted Singh via his agents, and quickly found a sympathetic ear. Singh had been frustrated by the Alliances policy towards aliens, which she viewed as overly trusting, and was frustrated by her lack of advancement. The Illusive Man offered her the authority and autonomy that she had so craved as well as the chance to work against alien threats without the red tape. Needless to say Singh jumped at the offer. Singh served as one of the Illusive Man's top agents for a time, and eventually was given command of the newly created Mastema Cell. Singh now had the resources and freedom to operate as she had intended, and now answered only to the Illusive Man. Singh would prove her worth many times over. The Illusive Man would often only give Singh extremely broad objectives, though he would often ask her to deploy for specific missions as well, but would leave how these objectives and missions were completed to Singh. This suited Singh very well as she had often been frustrated with her superiors for restraining her, and she appreciated the lack of oversite. As long as she was allowed to use her resources as she deemed fit she swore that she would always complete the mission. A vow which she would hold to, gaining the respect of the Illusive Man for her drive and inventiveness. Known Members Category:Ex-Cerberus Category:Cerberus